Peace Sunday comes this year in the midst of a national election season. Deciding how to participate, or to participate at all, in the political process can be a spiritual exercise when pursued through prayer and in discerning communities of faith. The result of that exercise will lead followers of Jesus to different conclusions. These differences need not lead to division in the body of Christ. With our ultimate allegiance to Jesus, the church at every level can continue engaging in God’s mission of peace and reconciliation, even as we differ in how, or if, we vote.
This year, the Peace and Justice Support Network invites your community to consider “agreeing and disagreeing in love” together as a Jesus-centered response to a political process that too often seeks victory by creating and exploiting division. The church’s faithful witness to Jesus will not be announced by voting for a particular candidate. Instead, it will be announced as we model together how to love one another even in the midst of difference.
The materials for Peace Sunday are from two Mennonite Church USA congregations: Kern Road Mennonite Church and Ridgeview Mennonite Church. These communities have shared their own approaches to agreeing and disagreeing in love. Please use them as presented, or feel free to adapt them to your community. Thanks to Pastor Mick Sommers of Ridgeview Mennonite Church and Pastor Janice Sutter of Kern Road Mennonite Church for their efforts in making these materials available.